Designs for ASICs and FPGAs are constantly getting bigger and more complex. The verification of a design consumes more and more time in a project. A figure mentionend is up to 70 percent of the total development time. This means that for complex design there are a lot of opportunities to reduce time and cost.
Some issues are:
- a working methodology
- reusable modules
- good tools
Incisive Enterprise Specman® from Cadence is a tool that does the job smarter. The tool includes functions that makes the verification work more effective, for example random generation of test stimuli so you don't have to figure out different detalied scenarios for errors. By using a good methodology it is possible to keep the test cases simple and on a high level. Specman includes both a well working methodology and a verification tool. In addition, it includes a specific verification language, "e", especially adapted to enable short and effective verification code. The language "e" is standardized as IEEE 1647. It is also described as an AO language, Aspect Oriented, focusing on:
- data generation, constrained and random rules, in combinations
- rule checkers (Temporal Checkers, Scoreboards etc.)
- functional Coverage
Specman brings with it an object oriented approach. An advantage with this is that verification work done on a lower level is simple to reuse later at a higher level. Some methodology issues are to have:
- a verification plan - to write a verification plan is absolutly crucial! What should be verified? What measurement points exist that can help you answer the question "Done"?
- a well proven methodology for specman and that it is available for the tool, such as eRM/eVC (e Reuse Methodology/e Verification Component). Rules are created to get a good structure, enabling the verification to be applied on different levels and on different abstraction types such as RTL (Register Transfer Level), GL (Gate Level)
- a code written so that it is easy to reuse or update it in case new requirements are added.
BitSim has worked with Specman for years and in many projects. We can help you with methodology questions, to start up the usage of the tool or to add resources in your verification project.
